Boil Boil Toil and Trouble…
- Mariah
- Sep 13, 2016
- 3 min read
I recently taught a candle making class in my kitchen. I dubbed it: “Candles Made Easy.” Indeed, buy a kit (not from me), get some soy wax (also not from me), a few lead free wicks.
All you have to do is heat up a pan of water, stick a metal can (or glass measuring cup) in the hot water. Add wax pellets. It works like a double boiler and melts the wax safely and effectively. Then, pour melted wax into heat resistant cup, mix in essential oils (pick your brand, or get some from me) for aroma-therapeutic scents…bada bing bada boom. Candles. Fun. Easy.
I even used locally sourced Japanese green tea mugs as the candle holder. Cute and kawaii.
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(Above) My Green Tea themed candle in Japanese cherry blossom (Sakura) tea cup from here in Japan complete! Scented with lemon and lemongrass essential oils. My friends loved it.
After my kitchen cleared…experimentation time began. Don't you love to try something new?
I have dozens of broken crayons that never get used because my youngest loves to break crayons for some bizarre reason. My grandmother would have not approved of such wanton destruction…I distinctly remember coloring with the same crayons my mother used, in front of a black and white television that once featured the Kennedy assassination. In her spirit, I opted to make something epic with these broken crayons and opted to repurpose them into a candle.
First: strip the paper off.
Second: break into smaller bits and set into a ball glass canning jar (or any that can handle heat.)
Third: Set glass jar into boiling water. Let wax melt. Add some white candle wax if desired. Stir (if desired) with something like a straw or washable metal spoon.
Fourth: When melted, remove jar from boiling water. Then add scent. I added cassia and lemongrass, I think.
Fifth: Add lead free wick. Stabilize with something disposable and let cool. Voila! Crayon candle!
At the end, I posted this all to my #essentiallymariah facebook page, with the caption: “Now the burning question is, will my crayon candle smell like memories of kindergarten?” I went to bed, feeling victorious.
The next morning, I checked my candles. I gave my mauve DIY project a big sniff.
It smells like armpits. Armpits, after the gym. What on earth???
Was it the two different brands of crayons mixed with soy wax? Did I let it melt for too long? Was it the cassia essential oil? Did I have a chemical reaction somewhere? I am not sure. But what I do know is that I recommend not using cassia essential oil to scent crayon candles. It is not a pleasant scent.
Do I really care *that* much, that my pretty recycle project is a little stinky? Nope. Not worried. Plus, maybe it just needs to air out a little. I’m going to burn my candle happily. Hopefully it’ll drive the Japanese mosquitoes off my porch during our next family campfire cookout. Or, since it reeks of body odor, maybe it will drive them to cast themselves upon its fiery stink like a funeral pyre of old…immolation style…thus saving me from the little vampires.
I dub this adventure: “THE GREAT STINKY CANDLE EXPERIMENT.”
Burn brightly, little stinky friend. Burn brightly. Creativity loves company.
Edit on 20 Sep 2016: Its now completely scentless! However, my crayon candle does not burn as efficiently as my all-soy based wax pellet candle. The crayon wax melts and fuels the flame differently than the soy wax. Still a fascinating project, especially if you want to try it on your own.
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